MONROE - Two committees with a stake in shaping the future of education priorities in Monroe in the face of budget concerns made their pitches to the Monroe school board Monday night.
Both the Community Budget Task Force Committee and the District Transition Plan Advisory Committee looked at restructuring school buildings to meet the educational needs of students. The district's teachers on the transition committee looked at the district developing more team teaching, multi-age teaching, creating partnerships with colleges, restructuring school buildings, different school hours for the day, expanding virtual learning and year-round school.
"We have 21st Century learning in 20th Century classrooms," said Donna Cairy, a teacher at Monroe High School.
Board Vice President Bob Erb said he supports the district looking at creative school building and teaching restructuring to meet every students' learning needs.
"It's probably high time we look at some of this because of the financial perspective," Erb said. "We are so locked into historic ways and approaches."
The Community Budget Advisory Task Force made a presentation to the board on a consensus of priorities for the district for 2012-13 and beyond. The task force was comprised of about 19 community members. They set three tiers of priorities, including ensuring that all students have equal opportunities to programs that meet their needs, encouraging and implementing creative teaching strategies and maintaining a safe learning environment.
Monroe Superintendent Larry Brown supported the work by both committees.
"This is a great set of priorities that sets high expectations," Brown said. "That is my opinion on the committee's work."
Voters rejected a four-year, $8 million non-recurring referendum in April. The district is operating this year with a deficit of about $811,000 that district leaders plan to plug by bringing in this year's budget less than expected and using $400,000 the district carried over from last year's budget.
Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the district is looking at a $1.8 million hole next year due to the loss of $450,543 in Federal EdJob funding, a $380,000 declining enrollment exemption and $190,000 as part of the state's Microsoft lawsuit that will not carry over to next year.
Brown said the priorities both committees set will help administrators determine what to maintain if cuts are needed.
Committee member Steve Schneider said the committee supported the Align by Design model at the high school that places freshman into one of three courses for English and social studies based on their entry level assessments on various district tests.
Committee member Mary Berger said the group wants the district to look at creative ways to instruct students including using more technology like iPads, iPods and Smart boards instead of textbooks.
Berger said the committee wants the district to maintain low class sizes and offer more ways to communicate more efficiently with parents.
Nikki Lutzke, a teacher at Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy, said teachers want to focus on students continuing to meet growth targets as readers.
Lutzke said the district also must adopt a vision of what they want students to meet when they graduate.
Cairy said it could be having students master the skills to go to college or whatever future learning education they choose.
"It doesn't mean they have to go on to the college level," Cairy said.
Brown said the board will take the recommendations into consideration.
Both the Community Budget Task Force Committee and the District Transition Plan Advisory Committee looked at restructuring school buildings to meet the educational needs of students. The district's teachers on the transition committee looked at the district developing more team teaching, multi-age teaching, creating partnerships with colleges, restructuring school buildings, different school hours for the day, expanding virtual learning and year-round school.
"We have 21st Century learning in 20th Century classrooms," said Donna Cairy, a teacher at Monroe High School.
Board Vice President Bob Erb said he supports the district looking at creative school building and teaching restructuring to meet every students' learning needs.
"It's probably high time we look at some of this because of the financial perspective," Erb said. "We are so locked into historic ways and approaches."
The Community Budget Advisory Task Force made a presentation to the board on a consensus of priorities for the district for 2012-13 and beyond. The task force was comprised of about 19 community members. They set three tiers of priorities, including ensuring that all students have equal opportunities to programs that meet their needs, encouraging and implementing creative teaching strategies and maintaining a safe learning environment.
Monroe Superintendent Larry Brown supported the work by both committees.
"This is a great set of priorities that sets high expectations," Brown said. "That is my opinion on the committee's work."
Voters rejected a four-year, $8 million non-recurring referendum in April. The district is operating this year with a deficit of about $811,000 that district leaders plan to plug by bringing in this year's budget less than expected and using $400,000 the district carried over from last year's budget.
Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the district is looking at a $1.8 million hole next year due to the loss of $450,543 in Federal EdJob funding, a $380,000 declining enrollment exemption and $190,000 as part of the state's Microsoft lawsuit that will not carry over to next year.
Brown said the priorities both committees set will help administrators determine what to maintain if cuts are needed.
Committee member Steve Schneider said the committee supported the Align by Design model at the high school that places freshman into one of three courses for English and social studies based on their entry level assessments on various district tests.
Committee member Mary Berger said the group wants the district to look at creative ways to instruct students including using more technology like iPads, iPods and Smart boards instead of textbooks.
Berger said the committee wants the district to maintain low class sizes and offer more ways to communicate more efficiently with parents.
Nikki Lutzke, a teacher at Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy, said teachers want to focus on students continuing to meet growth targets as readers.
Lutzke said the district also must adopt a vision of what they want students to meet when they graduate.
Cairy said it could be having students master the skills to go to college or whatever future learning education they choose.
"It doesn't mean they have to go on to the college level," Cairy said.
Brown said the board will take the recommendations into consideration.